Stocking-stretcher



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UNITED STATES Patented February 9, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

STOCKING-8TH ETC HER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,653, dated February 9, 1904.

Application filed July 8, 1903. Serial No. 164,652. (No model.)

To all rah/2777, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR J. KATZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stocking-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stretchers or holders on which stockings are held while drying.

The object of the invention is to produce a cheap and readily-applied holder or stretcher for stockings and similar knitted goods which will hold the same stretched or expanded while drying.

Figure 1 is a plan or elevation of a holder for a pair of stockings according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an edge view of same. Fig. 3 is a plan of a stocking-holder with different form of perforations.

Let A represent a form-piece, of 'wood or thin board, of the general shape of a stocking. Through this form-piece a number of holes B are cut or bored. These holes permit the circulation of air through a stocking when the same is drawn onto the form-piece, as indicated at C.

Near the upper end of the form-piece A and at the edges thereof I show a number of pins D. These pins are of brass or other metal which will not rust or stain the stocking C when the same is drawn on the form or stretcher. The stocking will easily stretch to slip over these short pins in applying the stocking to the former, but will be held by the pins from slipping down when the stocking becomes dry.

Two of the form-pieces A are held together by a pintle E, which passes through a projection E at the top of each form-piece. A wooden button or washer G surrounds the pintle E between the two form-pieces, thus holding the pair spaced a little apart. This form of hinge enables the form-pieces to be swung to any convenient or desirable position for the purpose of drawing the stockings thereon. IVhen a sock or stocking C is applied to each of the formers A, the pair of forms can be hung over a clothes-line and brought to parallelism, as in Fig. 2, when they will be held firmly, as against wind or accidental removal.

Stockings just washed are applied to the forms A in the manner indicated and are hung up to dry. Air circulates through the fabric and through holes B, and the fabric dries rapidly and in proper shape for ironing or for use. Stockings rough-dried on formers of this kind are in better shape for use than many which have been ironed without the use of stretchers. The wooden button or spreader Ur makes, with the formers, an entire support which is non-corrosive, so that there are no metal-stains on the stockings dried on such stretchers.

Fig. 3 shows that the perforations B need not be round. The perforations in the forms reduce the weight, as well as allow air circulation.

I am aware that metal frames, usually of wire, have been used to hold stockings distended while drying. ire forms are objectionable because expensive, likely to stain the fabric, and unless made very heavy they are likely to be drawn out of shape by the shrinkage of the fabric, thus losing the advantage of drying the stockings in correct shape.

IVhat I claim is 1. A stretcher for a pair of hose consisting of two wooden forms held together by and movable on a pintle passing through both forms near the end, and having a non-oxidizable spreading-piece around said pintle between the forms.

2. A stretcher for a pair of stockings consisting of two wooden form-pieces and a pintle passing through both forms, so that both may swing edgewise on the pintle.

3. A stretcher for a pair of stockings, consisting essentially of two thin wooden formpieces, each of the general shape of a stocking, each having a number of openings in its body for air circulation, each having at its edges near its top a number of projecting nonoxidizable metallic pins, the two form-pieces being held together by a pintle near their upper ends and free to swing thereon, a spacingwasher surrounding the pintle between the form-pieces.

I In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR J. KATZ.

IVitnesses:

IV. A. BARTLETT, M. E. BROWN. 

